Craigmillar Stories for Sharing

21/08/2026

We're very excited to have received some funding for our project from Scottish Children's Lottery Trust!

We're delighted to share that we've received a grant from the Scottish Children's Lottery! 🥳

The funding will go to Craigmillar Stories for Sharing, our programme for children aged 4-12 and their grown-ups, supporting families to explore literacy through storytelling and creativity.

Scottish Children's Lottery Jackpot Community Trust

20/08/2026

Rita, Laura and Katie had a brilliant time meeting families and sharing stories at the Edinburgh International Book Festival. Thank you so much to everyone that came along, it was really lovely to see so many familiar faces.

😍

18/08/2026

❓Did you attend any events at our summer holiday programme in Craigmillar Library or the Thistle Foundation?

We'd love to hear what you thought. Sharing your feedback should take less than 5 minutes and will really help us. Thank you!

https://forms.gle/ARxnpdxYBnnaYfAEA

13/08/2026

📣A new group is starting, run by our friends in Craigmillar Library 🤩

Come along to our BRAND NEW GROUP ✨

Tween Read Along will be a dedicated time for tweens in the library to listen to stories, have quiet reading time, chat about their favourite books and enjoy healthy snacks in the library!

WHEN: Wednesdays 3:45pm
WHO: Children aged 8-12

We can't wait to read with you! 🥰

11/08/2026

And that's a WRAP!

We'd love to hear what everyone enjoyed most, and any ideas you have for next year - please complete this quick survey to share your thoughts:

https://tinyurl.com/5au8625m

11/08/2026

☀And that's a WRAP! ☀

We hope you enjoyed our - we certainly had loads of fun!

Thank you to all the brilliant authors, illustrators and storytellers who visited us and shared their books, stories, drawings, jokes, and imaginations with us.

10 events (9 in Craigmillar Library and one in the Thistle Foundation) with 119 children and 76 adults! Nearly 200 books gifted. Impossible to count the number of biscuits and apples consumed 🤣

Families - thank you for your continued support and friendship. It's been lovely to keep connected over the holidays.

We have ONE last request - please do let us know what you thought about our events. This helps us to plan for next year and be the very best we can. This quick survey will take less than 5 minutes https://forms.gle/b4QNNLmHLJfEdNEZ9

See you soon!

Katie, Rita & Laura x

07/08/2026

What an AMAZING summer of stories it has been. Thank you all so much. Hard to believe we only have one event remaining!
🥹😭😱

Janis Mackay - The Fairy Song 🧚‍♀️🧚🧚‍♂️
Mon 10 Aug 2pm-3pm
Outdoors @ Thistle Foundation

Janis’s beautiful picture book is inspired by traditional Scottish stories of fairy folk. Enjoy some fabulous storytelling & make your own flower fairy to take home.

PLEASE NOTE this does NOT take place in Craigmillar Library. IMPORTANT INFO BELOW!

Head to the reception at Thistle Foundation Centre of Wellbeing, 13 Queen's Walk, Edinburgh EH16 4EA. The lovely staff there will direct you to our 'secret' garden location, or our back up plan indoors if the weather is awful! Don't forget to dress for the outdoors, we will be sitting on blankets and cushions with a couple of chairs. Do bring your own picnic blanket/cushion/chair if you'd like to.

03/08/2026

☀️SUMMER OF STORIES - WEEKS FOUR AND FIVE☀️

Wow, we've had a lot of fun so far, and hope you have too! There are just THREE events remaining, check out what's happening in the next 7 days. ⬇

Tue 3 Aug 2pm-3pm
Craigmillar Library
Kasia Matyjaszek - I am Actually a Penguin
An adventurous girl who loves dressing up discovers that she is actually a penguin. Her only problem is that now she has to convince her family! Writer and illustrator Kasia will tell the story with interactive live drawing followed by a fun character design workshop using collage & drawing. No need to book.

Fri 7 Aug 11am-12pm
Craigmillar Library
Morag Hood - Seahorse is Furious
Seahorse is having a bad day, in a terrible week, in an awful ocean. Come along and enjoy this funny, affectionate and reassuring take on the bad day blues. Meet all the characters and get stuck in to some crafts with author and illustrator Morag. No need to book.

Mon 10 Aug 2pm-3pm
Thistle Foundation 13 Queen's Walk, Edinburgh EH16 4EA
Janis Mackay - The Fairy Song
Please join us in the garden for our final event of the holidays. Janis’s beautiful picture book is inspired by traditional Scottish stories of fairy folk. Enjoy some fabulous storytelling & make your own flower fairy to take home. No need to book, but do dress for the weather!

All events are free and include a drink, snack and a book.

31/07/2026

📣‼️UPDATE ABOUT EVENTS ON SAT 1 AUG‼️

Unfortunately we have to reschedule Maisie's events to later in the year. BUT luckily she has an amazing friend called Alastair Chisholm who is also a brilliant author and will be coming along to share his books with us instead! Thank you SO much Alastair!

Alastair is an award-winning children’s author of books for all ages, including Orion Lost, I Am Wolf, Reek, the Dragon Storm series, and picture books such as Inch and Grub and One Hungry Dragon. He lives in Edinburgh with his family and a dog named Whisky who likes to eat his books. You can find him at alastairc.com.

So please join us in Craigmillar Library tomorrow:

11am-12pm
Alastair Chisholm and One Silly Sausage Dog
(Perfect for ages 3-7, but everyone welcome)
Cordelia’s on her walk, but she can’t help getting distracted by EVERYTHING in the park! She stretches to have a look, and then stretches more … and MORE … until she’s in all sorts of sticky situations! Enjoy this silly story and some colourful drawing.

2pm-3pm
Alastair Chisholm and Dragon Storm
(Perfect for ages 7-9+, but everyone welcome)
Find out more about this thrilling, magical, and action-packed new fantasy series, learn some weird and wonderful dragon myths and legends and bring your own dragon to life!

[Please note these events are for any families based in the Greater Craigmillar area. All events are free and include a drink, snack and a book]

30/07/2026

We'll be back at the Edinburgh International Book Festival this year with a new event called Reimagining Fairy Tales.

⏰Sunday 16 August 11.25am-12.15pm
📌Edinburgh Futures Institute
🎟️Free
https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/events/reimagining-fairy-tales-with-craigmillar-literacy-trust

It's for families with children aged around 4-7, and is really a mini version of our sessions with some fun stories (expect lots of interaction) and then a craft. We'll be making portable puppet theatres!

The free event is sold out on-line but Katie has tickets for local families so please message or ask when you see her or other staff and we'll get them to you.

Why not head along to other free events that morning/afternoon and make a day of it!

https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/events/the-more-you-know-with-the-national-museum-of-scotland-2 10am-12pm Drop-in

https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/events/meet-pip-and-posy
https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/events/meet-pip-and-posy-2
13.0pm-2pm & 2.30pm-3pm Drop-in



[📸EIBF 2025 event]